Once again Devin and Brooke threw us all a wonderful New Year’s Eve bash. We ate a great taco bar, played games and had some great rounds of Bingo. I won $10 and a container of Twizzlers which I love but can’t eat – but I can share. Just before eight we put on the countdown from Times Square and the kids waited anxiously for those last few seconds so they could blow their “noisemakers.” It is truly my kind of New Years – being with family – having fun and being in bed by eleven.
We had a dilemma. It was super cold outside and I had burned all the wood we stored downstairs. When our poor furnace has to run all the time I get a little concerned so I burn wood in our wood stove and what a difference it makes. Well. . . until the wood outside can be unburied we had a plan to warm up temporarily. Mike cut up the huge dining room table boxes and made card board bundles. With those card board bundles we started a warm fire and burned the scraps of wood found in the garage. It was a win win. The big box was gone and we were toasty warm.
Ovi did a little demo this morning. I was cleaning out my medicine container when she decided to “squeeze” in – it was rough but she did it. Then I got the look like “hey, mind your own business!” You see Ovi, we all feel that way after the holidays. We ate a little too much candy, too much poppy seed bread and dipped a little heavy on those eclairs. We can’t quite “squeeze” into our clothes and we feel like saying “mind your own business” but hey the new year is around the corner and exercise is on its way. Sorry Ovi, you might have to wait until the spring before you venture outside to run through the woods. That day will come.
Oh do I love this picture. Here we have four little girls who are just eating and chatting with one another. I would love to know what all the talk was about. Notice how they talk and eat just like us ladies do. I want another picture of the four of them at a bigger table when they are teenage girls – I’m sure then they won’t want anyone to hear what is said. And then . . . when they are older and gathering for family events they can talk about their children, life, trials, joys and gratitude all the while putting bits of yummy food in their mouths.
After about twenty-five years or so our old dining room table is done and out. For Christmas I got a brand new beautiful table with lovely padded chairs so the “old girl” needs to go. I know it is breaking hearts with some of our family members but the memories live on. There was home work imprinted in the wood on one end. I had a few zealous school workers I suppose. Then at one end are a whole bunch of little dents – those came from the Grandmas when they were banging the little jars of honey butter for Kyla’s wedding. We never told them – sshhhh. I remember when all four leaves were put in and I practically sat in the livingroom – those were the dinners with nearly everyone here and they were my favorite. She was a great table, she made the back cover of our family cookbook, there were lots of meals, lots of conversations, lots of love, lots of homework, lots of crafting and a lot of being together. Job well done my dear table.
I’m so proud of my sister-in-law Katinka for starting her own business again after so many years of being a business owner. Katinka says: “I’ve poured my heart into this business as it was inspired by my love for aromatherapy and firm belief in the positive power of essential oils. It’s aromatherapy that truly “makes scents!” And so I ordered one of her handmade bracelets and love it. It arrived in the most beautiful wrapping with a hand written note and a small vial of lavender for me to put on my beads. You go Katinka! I admire you for what you do in spite of some hard circumstances.
I love Christmas morning – opening the gifts, baking the Monkey bread and watching those that are staying with us open their gifts. The best thing though is heading out to all the homes of our children that live here and giving them their gifts. We get to see what they all got from Santa and others and then watch their little faces light up once more with our gifts. It is just the best. This year we had four drop offs to do and the Beamer was a little full. The roads were snowy and beautiful and each home greeted us with a shoveled walkway.
My second love is watching the kids reenact the Nativity. I love how they take their rolls with seriousness, they never complain and I love how perfectly it always comes together. Rudy was the perfect baby Jesus, he was so quiet and attentive. “Now, two millennia later, though we don’t know all the details pertaining to His birth, we certainly understand the unique parentage of this Babe of Bethlehem. We declare solemnly and with conviction: Jesus was born of an immortal Father and a mortal mother. From His immortal Father, Jesus inherited the power to live forever. From His mortal mother He inherited the fate of physical death.” (President Russell M. Nelson) I loved this evening.
My first favorite of the Styers Christmas Events is our “White Elephant” exchange. It was a good one this year – lots of stealing, lots of sighs and lots of laughter. I had to take a picture of Bret holding his “Burrito Game” which made me crack up – in the end he stole the sling shot and was quietly more excited. I love this event but I think I might enjoy watching the kids doing theirs first. Brooke guides them all with different prompts. They sit in a circle and are so sweet with each other. “Number 2 exchanges with Number 5” When they hear the directions they have no problem exchanging with one another. There are no tears, no one is upset and in the end they are so happy to have received what they did. A definite must every year.
Today I learned a whole lot about Total Raisin Bran. Let me explain why. When I was in the hospital for breakfast I ordered Total Raisin Bran and got an individual serving which I loved. I was determined to go home and buy a big box thus keeping within my heart healthy guidelines and also a great breakfast to enjoy. However, no one sells it in a big box so then I was on my journey to find out why. Apparently General Mills does not make it anymore to sell in stores and my heart is broken. It is sold through food wholesale distributors in small boxes most likely for hospitals. I guess I should have ordered extra and brought my stash home. Oh well. My journey for today.
Tara Truly 